Something I loved to make as a child: a fragrant decoration for the house, the Christmas tree or as a last-minute gift. Put it near a source of heat to allow the oils to warm and scent the room.

You need an orange, ribbon, drawing pin, cloves

Stick as many cloves as you like into a medium-sized orange.

Remove the calyx (the little knob at the top of the orange), then put ribbon round it on four sides; tie on top with a bow and make a loop for hanging.

Put it somewhere warm and dry (an airing cupboard is ideal), to dry out and it will make a sweet smelling present. Put it in the wardrobe to scent your clothes and help keep away moths.

Garden Lore – The Holly and the Ivy

Two plants above all others are associated with winter and Christmas in the public’s mind: the holly and the ivy. Growing neatly in gardens or exuberantly in the wild, each can be found all over Britain, in hedgerow and city. The Holly is a lucky tree, for it is a symbol of great vitality; it wards off unfriendly spirits. The Holly Man lives in the tree that bears prickly leaves and the Holly Woman’s home is the tree with smooth, variegated leaves. It is said that if the holly has lots of berries it will be a cold, hard winter.

To help your garden grow well, here is an old charm for the new moon:

Pour a quart of ale into a silver tankard on the night of each new moon. Drop in nine holly berries, blessed and washed in the moon’s rays. Lift the tankard of ale and say this charm to the moon:

‘Fair Selene, I drink to thee!

May this mead a potion be!’

Then empty the tankard over your plants for a fine display of blooms!

Ivy is said to tell the fortune of a house; if it suddenly withers, the present occupiers will move on; but if it grows upon the walls of the building, it gives protection from malice and misadventure.

Ivy is used in this old love spell for young women: pick an ivy leaf and hold it to your heart and as you walk chant three times:

‘Ivy, ivy I love you

In my bosom I put you.

The first young man who speaks to me

My future husband he shall be.’

The Robin

The robin, seen around a great deal in the winter, is a favourite bird both in the garden and on greetings cards this season. But it is not the reason why the bird is associated with Christmas. Red is a colour associated with royalty and in the Victorian era, when national mail services started, postmen wore red coats to identify themselves as employees of the Royal Mail.They were nicknamed ‘Robin.’ When Christmas cards became popular, the robin was used as a cheerful symbol of the postman who brought the cards on Christmas day – one old tradition that’s very unlikely to be revived!

The Star: What better image for this season of hope in the darkness that we experience at Midwinter? For many, as we saw last month, the past year has brought upheaval, sudden change and reversal. Not everything has gone to plan, or been successful: there have been many unexpected losses. We are ready for some new hope and inspiration. The Star brings these qualities and acts as the guiding light that symbolises inspiration. We can look for the dawning of understanding, truth and redemption; we can strive for the growth of compassion.

Venus, the Morning and Evening Star, connects us to love and the potential for a rebirth of some kind in the forthcoming new year. The Magi, the Three Kings, followed the Star to see the baby, the Son, which was born to bring peace and redemption. We can now trust that the sun will return and, day by day, the light will increase and things will start to grow and move again. How often do we ‘wish upon a star’ for better things, or new opportunities? The Star brings us insight to our desires to make our dreams come true; this is the time to be confident in our hopes for the future and trust in our abilities to take action. What will you do first to begin manifesting your desires? As we move towards the New Year, let us look to the Star to guide us towards healing, peace and a new beginning.

Enter Father Christmas in the old English Mummers Play, traditionally performed at this time of year. How old is the Mummers Play and can we still see it today? Writing in 1930, folklorist George Long said,

‘Eight hundred years old and still running! This surely is a record for the English stage…the old folk drama still performed in villages in Hampshire has been continuously carried on every Christmas since…the twelfth century…there can be little doubt that it contains traces of pre-historic paganism.’

A very ancient tradition, then, and one that we might expect to have died out in our more sophisticated era. George Long witnessed the Longparish Mummers of Hampshire in the 1920s; I was very pleased to discover a few years ago that the tradition is alive and well in the Hampshire village of Longparish. In fact they now have a website:http://www.longparish.org.uk

The Mummers will be performing on Boxing Day 2016; I will be taking a brief look at the Mumming Play in my Introduction to Tarot Workshop in February 2017 when we’ll consider some of its folk art and how this sits alongside the history of Tarot.

I caught up with London artist, Johnny McQuillan, aka Johnny Cue, a couple of days after the publication of his new and innovative tarot deck, ‘London Lore Tarot: The Tapestry of a City.’ This deck is an exciting addition to the world of Tarot, as it is the very first published deck to draw on the rich store of secret lore, myths and history surrounding and permeating London, a city that has been full of stories and magic for well over a thousand years. The accompanying booklet provides the essential details of the stories and the intriguing personalities found therein – fortune teller and healer Mother Redcap; Magus Doctor John Dee; the King’s Fool Rahere; King of the Britons Vortigern; actress Nell Gwynn. It’s up to the individual Tarot reader and the ‘curious traveller’, as Johnny says, to discover the nuances and connections for themselves. Living on a narrowboat on London’s historic waterways, steeped in spiritual connection to the land and its spirits, frequently traversing the city on his many research explorations, Johnny brings an original perspective to the art of Tarot.

Sue Terry: Johnny, I’d like to start by asking why you decided to create a Tarot deck based on the Lore of London?

Johnny Cue : The idea of creating a tarot was already something I’d considered, and put aside and come back to several times.. It’s a big project and it takes some motivation to get going! London has so many faces, and with 78 cards, 78 different stories, each with their own depth and meaning – I feel like it takes that much to even begin to capture the city. It took me around a year of independent research and drawing. What I find really hard to believe is that a London tarot didn’t already exist, but as far as I can tell this is the only one! The stories we tell about ourselves and our history and the places we inhabit are something that fascinates me.

Do you agree that stories are an important part of human development, the human experience? Yes – stories reflect how we place ourselves and our history in the land. They’re powerful, and they’re how we can really come to know the spirit of a place.

Sue: How have you defined the area of ‘London’ in the deck? Does it relate to a historic boundary, for instance?

Johnny: So many of the cards are just so unambiguously located in London – the Tower Ravens, for example, or the Ferryman’s seat in Southwark – that it wasn’t really something I had to think about. I knew more or less what stories I wanted to tell, and the places fit within our modern conception of London, so I just went with that. There is a lot of history in the deck, but it’s not meant to be something “of the past” – that’s why the Empress, Elen of the Ways, is drawn the way she is.

Ah, the important rediscovered ‘lost’ British Goddess Elen: can you say a bit more about her?

Elen of the Ways is an important figure for me. Lecturer, writer and publisher, Caroline Wise was really responsible for rediscovering Elen, from snippets in Celtic lore and other sources. Elen is distinctive: she’s horned and it is not usual for a Goddess to be horned. Elen is associated with greyhounds and with the land: specifically, the land of London. She’s the protectoress of London. Elen is one of London’s lost gods, but what I wanted to show was her alive and present today. I created her image by placing her in Trafalgar Square.

There may have been a bit of a Gaiman influence going on when I conceived of that card. In his fiction, the novelist Neil Gaiman uses the idea of gods and goddesses alive in the present, not as anachronistic forces. He plays with the idea that they are alive, but still ancient: I like that. Gods and goddesses, adapted and integrated, become part of modern life; that was wrapped up in my thoughts about my Empress/Elen card.

I love the High Priestess, the Submerged Forest: I think that that’s probably – well, possibly! – my favourite card in your deck. That seems to link with the ideas of goddesses and myths alive in the present…

Yes, the idea that myths and spirits are ‘in a box’, not part of modern life…well; let’s say I’m not a big fan of that idea! Myths are part of how you look at the world, what they mean from your personal perspective. I think that you can choose to incorporate myths and spirits of the land into your life, as living beings now, or let them influence your thoughts about how you relate to a place. You can treat myths like abstract stories if you like, but they are powerful.

Who do you think will be most drawn to your deck? Did you design it for general use, or is it particularly suited to magical practice?

I designed it mostly for people to get to know London, to connect to the spirit of the place. It can be used for more general divination or magic like any tarot, but the central idea was one of communicating with London and situating yourself within the fabric of the city.

Who and/or what are your main influences artistically?

That’s a good question! I’ve been drawing since before I can remember, so a lot of it’s just developed organically. I like New York artist, Will Eisner, who created the first graphic novel and I know his use of ink, has influenced the inkwork in this deck. I feel like statues have influenced how I’ve drawn a lot of the people, particularly ancient Mesopotamian and Greek marbles. I know that originally these statues weren’t as we see them today- they had colour and detail-but I took inspiration from their appearance and what’s been left out- the ‘blank’ eyes, for instance. For me, something about leaving out key details mean the images become more symbolic.

Yes, perhaps too much naturalistic detail in the cards wouldn’t work so well? This way people can interact with the cards more, put themselves in the picture? Yes- it’s complex, but I want people to connect with the images and in that way connect more strongly to the spirit of the place.

Why did you choose monochrome rather than colour?

Tarot cards aren’t that big and black and white is simple and striking. I felt like the more colour I added the busier it would get. In monochrome, the cards are bold and linked thematically – and when you’re talking about history and the stories people tell about places, a lot of the things that get remembered have that darker edge to them, which plays well in black and white. I did kick around the idea of adding more colour. I was thinking of adding accent colours in the images themselves, different blues in the suit of Cups, different purples in the Major Arcana. But in the end I thought it would detract from the artwork.

Can you give an idea of the creative process that you used? How did you select the stories originally?

I started by collecting stories. Some of them had already taken root in my head – Gog Magog and St. Bride, Moll Cutpurse, Crossbones Graveyard. Then came research, reading, keeping my eyes and ears open wherever I went in the city and chasing up all those stray “I wonder”s – I wonder what that name means, I wonder what that’s all about. I just had a long list of stories at first, anything that caught my attention or drew me in, and then I started matching them up to the cards. Wherever I saw something interesting, I’d set off chasing the meaning and the deeper associations.

That’s what’s great about London and what you’ve brought to this project: there’s so much still out there for people to discover, to follow up and make their own connections Oh yes, so many stories and so many layers to the city.

You decided to work with the traditional attributions and meanings or the cards familiar from the Rider Smith Waite deck, drawn by Pamela Colman Smith: was there a particular reason for this?

Well of course Pamela Colman Smith was born here in London! But really, it’s the deck I’m most familiar with, it’s the deck I think most people are familiar with. I didn’t want to create a whole new system – I knew the stories would do that to some extent, would add their own dimension to the interpretations, but I wanted that known structure to be there behind it. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.

How did you decide to group the locations and their stories into each Tarot suit? Did any particular correspondences immediately leap out at you, or was it a slow process of experiment and choosing, to discover what worked best?

At first I thought I could sort them out very simply: the Tower Ravens in swords for air, the London Stone in pentacles for earth…but it just didn’t work. The meanings didn’t fit. So while I’ve tried my best along those lines (you’ll find Old Father Thames in Cups, for example), it really came down to which stories I felt resonated best with the traditional interpretations of the cards.

(image: Fournier Street, Spitalfields E1)

Which image was the most satisfying to draw, that you are most pleased with now that it’s finished?

Kate’s Cellar, the Hermit. That’s one of the cards that might push the boundary of London a little, but Epping has its own tube station, so I say it counts. And I’m glad, because there’s something about that card that just came together for me.

Can you expand a bit on your choice, the story behind Kate’s Cellar? It’s located East of central London, in Epping; a few different stories are attached to it. It was known as one of Dick Turpin’s hideouts, and the site of a Roman fort. But I discovered that there was a female hermit called Kate who lived there, which immediately made it the right location and image for The Hermit. A great many layers of story, myth and association there – a nice example.

Do you find any London Lore story challenging, or perhaps unsettling? Which and why?

The Old Bailey unsettles me. It’s not even a story exactly, but the idea of this one site where for over a thousand years we’ve imprisoned and executed people, and tried them for all the worst crimes. It’s how far back it goes that gets me. A thousand years, and so many people brought there against their will.

It leaves a strong mark on the site, surely? Yes, lots of violence and bloodshed and justice all playing out over a massively long period of time: it’s got to leave something behind.

Which is your favourite, or that means most to you?

I’m quite fond of the Greenwich witch bottle as the four of wands, protecting the home. But my heart goes to the people, the characters in the deck – Vortigern and Rahere, Mother Redcap. I’m bad at favourites, actually having to pick just one!

Was there a story or tradition that you’d have liked to have included, but had to leave out? What was it?

The one that jumps out at me is a story I heard about the statues of Sekhmet at the British Museum. (image of Sekhmet statues in British Museum, below left)Supposedly back when the statues were first transported from Egypt in 19th Century, they unloaded them on one of the bridges that cross the Thames, and one of the statues – I don’t know if it was knocked, or what happened, but it ended up at the bottom of the river. I believe they’ve had the ancient Egyptian ‘Opening of the Mouth’ ceremony performed on them since then, to invite the goddess to take up residence – but I don’t have a citation for that one!

There’s also a half-envisioned card: I live in Uxbridge, and when I first moved there I wondered “where’s the river Ux?”. But they were a Celtic people, before the Romans. They built the bridge. So I have images in my head of the Ux, of their bridge in the nighttime…but it’s not really enough, it’s too peripheral, there’s not enough of a story there.

How long have you been studying and practising Tarot?

I first picked up a deck in my late teens, so that must be about ten years ago now. I know that doesn’t hold a candle to some of the readers out there, but I think it’s a reasonable chunk of time!

How has Tarot helped you in your life?

When I started out I used it as a tool for divination, but these days I use Tarot in my spiritual practice. My spiritual path is Lucumi and in my practice I keep an altar to the ancestors of blood (relatives), place and spirit; tarot is one of the avenues I use in working with those spirits.

What are the main things you’ve learned since first opening a Tarot deck?

Oh, everything. When I started I really had no idea what I was doing, I just jumped right in. I had a fuzzy idea of the significance of each suit, and a few key words for the cards, but I didn’t understand how the different cards could relate to each other, or that there was more than one way to use a tarot deck. I’ve come a long way since then.

I love the London Lore deck and the way it helps you make new connections, stimulates new associations and meanings as you read with it – what have other readers said?

I’m finding that ‘London Lore’ is a Tarot deck particularly suited to reflective readings. It’s open to subjective interpretations, as much as defined ‘meanings.’ Feedback I’ve received from the first readers to use the cards is that you have to slow down and concentrate, because it’s not the familiar ‘RSW’ imagery. You have to reflect, let the cards speak and nuances emerge.

What do you hope that people will gain from the London Lore Tarot?

I hope that drawing on the lore when interpreting the cards will engage people with the stories on a personal level. I’d really like people to develop a relationship with the stories of the places in the cards, not only enjoying the history in an ‘abstract’ way. The stories help you become connected to London’s deeper layers, to what’s underneath the surface; that’s really helpful in a Tarot reading. Cities are alive, and I feel like the London Lore Tarot deck is one way to develop that relationship.

You’ve certainly created a wonderful deck, that’s sure to be a very special guide and key to London’s deeper mysteries, Johnny. Thanks for taking the time to discuss it with me and to share your insights.

All images (c) Johnny Cue 2016, used with permission

Interview (c) Sue Terry 2016

‘London Lore Tarot: The Tapestry of a City’ is available from Treadwell’s Bookshop and Online Store

Further reading:

‘The Secret Lore of London’ edited by John Matthews and Caroline Wise

‘Finding Elen’ by Caroline Wise

‘London Lore’ by Steve Roud

The novels of Peter Ackroyd, especially ‘The House of Doctor Dee’; ‘Hawksmoor’

It’s November: the celebrations of Halloween, the Day of the Dead and Samhain have passed, heralding the start of the dark months. It’s a perfect time to meditate on the changes that have happened for each of us during the last year; to dwell on the stories and memories of those who have gone before us, our ancestors and beloved family members. A major change has just occurred in the political life of the world –for some it’s a revolution, for others, they fear, the destruction of all they held secure.

So what better place to start our look at the Tarot, than with Trump XIII: Death, the Great Transformer.

Death, Trump XIII, is often regarded as one of the more ‘difficult’ cards of the Major Arcana; some find it alarming when it comes up in a spread. Death is a natural part of life: understanding change, challenge and loss is an important part of our human development, which the Tarot captures so well. Trump XIII helps us to realise that we should not expect all our experiences to be gentle and easy. The Tarot acknowledges that our lives have light and shade, ease and suffering.

The Death card is a reminder that that death is the threshold to a new phase of existence; that ‘energy can neither be created nor destroyed’, so our energy continues forever; that the dying-back of plants creates room for new growth in the spring.

Sometimes change can be shocking, relentless: it arrives despite all that we might do to stop it. Then we have to learn to endure, or rethink and work to bring about renewal. ‘Death’ can indicate a major change in society, perhaps an abrupt or unexpected one. It can signify the end of fixed patterns of public life, clearing the way for new systems to arise, bringing in the

challenge of how we will utilise them, as life goes on.

In a Tarot reading, ‘Death’ heralds a period of personal change, opening our minds to the possibility of transforming our current circumstances; a passing away of the old to make space for the welcoming in of the new. It is the doorway to experience: once over this threshold, there is no turning back.

It can mean leaving a dissatisfactory job or relationship; it can mean deep-seated psychological change, as we strip away our illusions and old beliefs that no longer serve us- as the Delphic Oracle says, ‘Know Thyself’. As time passes, Trump XIII asks us to recognise the demands on our bodies as we age: to slow down, shed responsibilities and let go. Treasure each day and enjoy the rewards of a good life, the eternal values of love, family, friendship; consider what will be our legacy.

‘Death’ reminds us to pay attention when we are on the threshold of change, both individually and as a society; to prepare to let go of worn-out situations and behaviour; to relish and nurture life, to value legacy –what we inherit and what we leave behind. Change is inevitable: it’s up to us to make the most of it.

There was a street party in West Harrow on Sunday 12th June and I was invited to turn up with the Tarot on the Hill table to entertain the good people of NW London. It was a really good time and the rain stopped so I could provide readings – not saying that the two things were linked, but…! The organisers were happy as Tarot provided something different for the guests, who enjoyed it very much. And the whole event raised £670 for the chosen charities – Autism Awareness and West Harrow Park- so everyone left smiling.

I finished this cover to cover in one weekend- wonderful book. It’s a lovely object to hold too: the cover closes with a satisfying thump and it weighs heavily in the hand. Quality! The first time Austin Osman Spare’s personal Tarot deck has been available outside The Magic Circle’s museum. Here’s some photos from it – I’m currently writing more on my thoughts, impressions and discoveries through the book, which I will post here.
Available throughTreadwell’s Booksof course….

The BBC celebrated Shakespeare’s Birthday and 400th Anniversary in April 2016 with a star-studded entertainment from Stratford on Avon. Here’s a couple of pictures from my favourite plays- Macbeth and The Tempest- I found on the Net..
There’s great Magician’s Cloak action from Prospero in Shakespeare’s Tavern Playhouse in 1965; the Wyrd Sisters here from a 17th Century print – more bitchy Court ladies than wild-haired Witches. Prospero & Miranda by Reuben Bussey – Prospero portrayed as a Kabbalistic Magician; The Witches of North Berwick from a 17th(?) century manuscript.
And as the John Dee season continues in London – more lectures upcoming at Conway Hall and Treadwell’s on aspects of John Dee’s communion with angels and his system of Enochian magic- a portrait of the man himself, whose life and magic influenced Shakespeare to create Prospero.
Bringing magical awareness into our own lives, helping us realise our own creativity, impelling us to dare, to do…The Magician